AIT vs. FTHI

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

AIT (Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.) is a stock, while FTHI (First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF) is Derivative Income fund actively managed by First Trust. Over the past 10 years, AIT returned 22.87%/yr vs 8.56%/yr for FTHI. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

AIT vs. FTHI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) and First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AIT achieves a 20.49% return, which is significantly higher than FTHI's 4.97% return. Over the past 10 years, AIT has outperformed FTHI with an annualized return of 22.87%, while FTHI has yielded a comparatively lower 8.56% annualized return.

AIT

• 1D: 2.44%
• 1M: 1.92%
• YTD: 20.49%
• 6M: 20.23%
• 1Y: 38.25%
• 3Y*: 33.44%
• 5Y*: 27.29%
• 10Y*: 22.87%

FTHI

• 1D: 0.67%
• 1M: 1.53%
• YTD: 4.97%
• 6M: 5.39%
• 1Y: 17.10%
• 3Y*: 14.57%
• 5Y*: 10.23%
• 10Y*: 8.56%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AIT vs. FTHI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.	20.49%	8.01%	39.67%	38.35%	24.25%	33.57%	19.37%	26.35%	-19.41%	16.89%
FTHI First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF	4.97%	11.03%	19.02%	20.72%	-4.37%	13.95%	-7.13%	18.16%	-9.72%	14.41%

Correlation

The correlation between AIT and FTHI is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.48
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 8, 2014	0.53

The correlation between AIT and FTHI shifts across timeframes, from 0.48 (1 year) to 0.60 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

AIT vs. FTHI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AIT

AIT Risk / Return Rank: 78
AIT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
AIT Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
AIT Omega Ratio Rank: 73
AIT Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
AIT Martin Ratio Rank: 81

FTHI

FTHI Risk / Return Rank: 63
FTHI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
FTHI Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
FTHI Omega Ratio Rank: 60
FTHI Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
FTHI Martin Ratio Rank: 74

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AIT vs. FTHI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) and First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AIT	FTHI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.46	1.95	-0.49
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.01	2.81	-0.80
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.37	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.88	3.24	-0.36
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.93	14.20	-7.27
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AIT vs. FTHI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AIT Sharpe Ratio is 1.46, which is comparable to the FTHI Sharpe Ratio of 1.95. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AIT and FTHI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AIT	FTHI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.46	1.95	-0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90	0.76	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69	0.60	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.53	-0.10

Drawdowns

AIT vs. FTHI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AIT drawdown since its inception was -66.47%, which is greater than FTHI's maximum drawdown of -32.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIT and FTHI.

Drawdown Indicators

	AIT	FTHI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.47%	-32.65%	-33.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.86%	-5.47%	-7.39%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.42%	-15.92%	-10.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.42%	-16.70%	-9.72%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.29%	-32.65%	-26.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.19%	-0.00%	-2.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.05%	-3.68%	-14.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.35%	1.25%	+4.10%

Volatility

AIT vs. FTHI - Volatility Comparison

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) has a higher volatility of 6.48% compared to First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI) at 1.72%. This indicates that AIT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTHI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AIT	FTHI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.48%	1.72%	+4.76%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.10%	7.05%	+12.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.36%	8.82%	+17.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.50%	13.44%	+17.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	33.29%	14.33%	+18.96%

Dividends

AIT vs. FTHI - Dividend Comparison

AIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.63%, less than FTHI's 8.71% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.	0.63%	0.72%	0.62%	0.81%	1.08%	1.29%	1.64%	1.86%	2.22%	1.70%	1.89%	2.67%
FTHI First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF	8.71%	8.70%	8.61%	8.50%	9.06%	4.37%	4.76%	4.21%	4.76%	4.00%	4.41%	4.98%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AIT and FTHI in my portfolio?

AIT and FTHI have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AIT or FTHI?

AIT has higher volatility (6.48%) compared to FTHI (1.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AIT dropped -66.47% vs FTHI's -32.65%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FTHI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.95 vs 1.46), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.